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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · branch · cold · pass · jam · key · racket · foot

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pass — a permit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. key — in music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cold — an illness
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cold — not warm
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cap — a lid
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cold — the Cold War

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com